In Depth Fitness

Monday, May 9, 2011

After my recent post on the Arnold press I took it upon myself to do a little bit more research on the man himself. To see what drove him to become a seven-time Mr. Olympia champion. Then I came across this clip. When I watched it all my questions were answered. Everything came full circle and why he was so good at his sport came to light. So enjoy my video podcast of that clip.

Monday, May 2, 2011

This exercise stays true to its name. The man Arnold Schwarzenegger invented them while achieving his crown as seven-time Mr. Olympia. It goes without saying that this exercise has been proven to work.

You are going to need a couple thing before you start. First, find a bench and put it in the seated position. Then go to the dumbbell rack and find a weight that you can do. Go back to the bench, sit down, and put the weight on the ground.

The best way to get the weight up to the start position is to curl the weight up. Pick up the weight and do a bicep curl all the way up until you hit your chest and stop there. This is the start position. Now push up with equal force in each arm, twisting your wrists on the way up, until they are fully extended and back down. That was one repetition. You need to do 3 sets of 10.
Some people like to do these in the place as military dumbbell press. I personally like to keep both in my shoulder routines. They are both perfect for sculpting the shoulders and easy to do.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

There aren't a lot of shoulder exercises that incorporate the e-z bar. Which is why the standing upright row is unique. This exercise mainly works the inside of your shoulder. It also helps to give you that ever desirable shoulder cut. There are a couple of things you need to know about how to do it properly.

You need to find the e-z bar and locate some weight that you can do. After you got the weight on both sides of the bar you need to secure it. There should be weight clamps scattered through out the gym. Grab two of them and put those along side the weights. Make sure that you have ample space around you to do the exercise.

Execution is a major part of the exercise. If you do it wrong then your not getting the most out of your work. On any e-z bar there are two sets of grips. Find the inside ones and put your hands around them making a fist. Stand up taking the weight with you. Make sure that you are lifting with your legs to avoid any back injuries. You should be standing up right, arms fully extended, holding the weight. This is your rest position. Pull the weight up as if you were going to hit your self in the chin with the middle of the bar. Make sure that you are bending at the elbows as you're coming up.

From straight arms to the bar underneath your chin is one repetition. Shoot for three sets of ten.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Are your looking for a great shoulder exercise that is guaranteed to give you results? Then stop looking because that exercise is right here. What is this mysterious exercise? It's the dumbbell military shoulder press. Long title I know, but it's no joke. There are a couple of things your gonna need to know before you start it.

Warming up is key before you do any shoulder exercise. Go to a weight rack and grab two 10 lb plates. Then put four fingers in hole in the middle of the weight. Finish your grip by locking your thumb on the outside of the weight. Then start twirling you arms in circles. Do them front and backwards until you feel your rotator cuff and shoulder muscles losen up.

For the execution you first need to locate a bench. Put it in the up right position so it looks like a chair. Then go to the weight rack and pick a weight thats right for you. Normally I start out with 45lb dumbbells, but if your a beginner I suggest starting small. You can always work up to a heavier weight, and it's a good policy to make sure that you don't get hurt. After you have chosen your weight go back to the bench, sit down, and put the weights on your knees. The next step is going to be to kick the weight up with your knees to the rest position next to your head. Then push up with both arms until they are fully extended. Down and back up. That is one repetition. As always do 3 sets of 10.

Monday, April 4, 2011

This exercise is a perfect change of pace. It can take the place of bench press in your routine since it is essentially working the same part of your chest. However, I like to put both the bench and dumbbell press in my workout.

Like the cable flys there isn't one solid bar. You are going to be using dumbbells hence the name. Each arm is going to be working independently form one another. Which is going to force your stabilizer muscles in your chest to start working.

The execution is pretty simple. Get your weight off the rack. For beginners, like always, start off small. Sit on the bench and rest the weight on your knees. Now while your are laying down on the bench bring the weights with you. So by time your completely flat on your back your weight should be in the start position. Push up just like you are doing a bench press repetition. Be sure to push with equal force in each arm. All the way up and back down to your start position is one rep. Still do 3 sets of 10.

It is going to take a couple of tries to get your rhythm. So don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away.

Now we get to introduce one of my favorite exercises. The cable flys are a great change up from the pressing exercises that I have touched on. There are a couple of things that make cable flys such a great part of your workout.

When your working out with the cables your muscles are constantly working through each rep. With other chest exercises you are only working one way, but with cables your muscles are working during the rest part of your repetition too.

On the cable machines there isn't one solid bar for flys. Instead there are two individual handles. When you take each handle off the rest position you are engaging all the little stabilizer muscles in your chest to keep those handles straight. Muscles that don't get much attention during the pressing exercises.

As far as the execution its pretty simple. There are going to be two weight racks on each side of the machine. You need to select a weight that you can do 10 times. The handles for this should be at the top of the rack, if there not you need to put them there, so put your hands in each handle. Lift the weight off the racks, and extend your arms forward till they touch each other in front of your chest. That is one repetition. As always do 3 sets of 10.

Remember that if you select 60 on one side you need to select 60 on the other to keep it even and prevent injuries.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

The next exercise in the chest workout is the decline press. This primarily works the bottom part of the chest. Between decline and incline press there are some subtle differences which I will point out to you.

First off the angle of the bench is inverted the opposite way of the incline. Your head is going to pointed toward the ground almost as if your hanging somewhat upside down. The thing that is going to keep you in place is that at the end of the bench, by your feet, there should be an extension for you to hook in your legs for support.

When your finally hooked in and ready to do your set, you need to be aware that the way you press is going to be different. After you take the bar off the rack you are going to touch your chest and back up. However, since the angle your at is different from the incline bench exercise it's going to feel weird at first when you do your first repetition. The weight is going to try and go toward your throat and chin, but you need to use your chest muscles to stabilize it. Your aiming to touch the bottom of your chest, right around the nipple area, with the bar so you need to take that into account.

For your first couple of times that you start this exercise I HIGHLY suggest that you get someone to spot you as your doing your reps. Just in case you can't keep the bar on track for the middle of your chest and so that you won't drop it on your throat or face. The same sets and reps apply for this exercise 3 sets of 10.

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About Me

My name is Joshua Garn. I wasn't always fit. There was a span of three years and a couple surgeries that put me at 235lbs and 28% body fat. That was one of the lowest parts of my life. Everywhere I went i was called fat. Even by the people that are supposed to love you the most (ie Friends and family). Finally i decided to grab ahold of my life for the better. I lost 40lbs and am at 7% body fat and I fulfilled my dream of becoming a collegent soccer player.